The ASELSAN MURAD AESA Radar, one of the most strategic projects in Turkish aviation history, continues its tests on the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV at an unabated pace. Striking footage has been shared from the latest flight test conducted with the AKINCI of the indigenous radar, which had previously proven its mettle with an air-to-air missile firing from the KIZILELMA. The data reflected on the radar's interface in the video contains exciting technical hints regarding its weather mode and range scale.
Another milestone has been passed in the ASELSAN MURAD AESA Radar project, which has nationalised Türkiye's Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capability. As will be recalled, the MURAD AESA, which achieved the world's first successful missile firing from a UCAV and made history with KIZILELMA, has now showcased its performance in different modes and scenarios on the Bayraktar AKINCI. The new footage shared by Baykar showed that the radar operates not merely as a target detection system but as a command centre providing operational awareness even in complex weather conditions.
The Critical Detail on the Interface: Is the Scan Range 160 KM?
In the shared test video, the interface on the radar operator's screen did not escape the attention of keen observers. On the indigenous interface developed by ASELSAN engineers, the figure '160' was clearly visible at the top of the vertical scale used by the radar for scanning.
Although the unit (KM or Nautical Mile/NM) is not explicitly stated on the screen, analysis and general projections from defence sources suggest that this value indicates a range of 160 km. This distance is a critical threshold for a UCAV to detect hostile elements from a safe zone and engage them with long-range missiles like the GÖKDOĞAN.
The Eye Among the Clouds: Weather Mode
Another significant technical detail in the footage was the radar's Weather Mode capability. The radar screen showed the echoes (reflections) of dense cloud masses and actual targets being displayed simultaneously, without being confused with one another.
Why is this capability important?
- Hovering Targets: Low-speed targets, especially hovering helicopters, can be filtered out as noise or clouds by standard radars.
- Precise Discrimination: Thanks to its advanced algorithms, the MURAD AESA can distinguish between cloud reflections and an aircraft with an RCS greater than 10m² (the size of a civilian aircraft or transport plane). This means being able to "see" and operate in all weather conditions.
AKINCI's Answer to the Skeptics
These test flights have also disproven claims made on social media and in some foreign analyses that UCAV engines cannot generate the high electrical power required by an AESA radar.
The MURAD AESA, which previously operated successfully with the KIZILELMA's turbofan engine, performed flawlessly with efficient power management on the twin-turboprop AKINCI. The fact that the AKINCI can power the energy-intensive GaN (Gallium Nitride) based modules proves both the platform's sufficient power generation capacity and the radar's efficiency.
MURAD AESA Radar: Technical Specifications of the Project
The F-16 and UAV AESA Nose Radar Development Project, conducted by ASELSAN, is ending Türkiye's foreign dependency in this most critical component for the Turkish Air Force.
MURAD's Prominent Features:
- Technology: Thanks to GaN (Gallium Nitride) based chip technology, it offers longer range, a lighter structure, and high resistance to jamming.
- Multi-Mission: Capable of operating simultaneously in Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground, and Air-to-Sea modes.
- Electronic Warfare: Capable not only of target detection but also of Electronic Attack (EA) and Electronic Support (ES).
- SAR Capability: Can generate high-resolution maps of the terrain even in cloudy weather using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mode.
Which Platforms and Missiles Will It Be Used With?
Thanks to its modular structure, the MURAD AESA Radar can be scaled and integrated into different platforms.
- Platforms: AKINCI UCAV, KIZILELMA MIUS, F-16 ÖZGÜR Modernisation, and KAAN (BÜRFİS, a larger and more advanced version, is being developed for KAAN).
- Munitions: The precise and long-range lock-on capability provided by the AESA radar will enable the full-performance use of the GÖKDOĞAN (BVR) and BOZDOĞAN (Within Visual Range / WVR) air-to-air missiles developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE. Additionally, the future ramjet-powered missile GÖKHAN will also be guided by this radar.
The AKINCI and MURAD duo will relieve the burden on F-16s in the defence of Turkish airspace and provide in-depth intelligence as flying radars in the sky.
